


Tell Me About The Birds And The... Cats?

by sgtbuckaroobarnes



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Animal AU, Bucky Helps Him, Hurt Sam Wilson, M/M, Oops, Protective Bucky Barnes, Sad Sam, Sam gets attacked, Sam is a falcon, Winter Falcon, and then happy Sam, bucky is a white tiger, i didnt even realize that until just now i'm a dummy, sambucky - Freeform, so yeah they're shapeshifters everyone is, these boys are a mess i swear, this whole fic was an accident no joke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-02
Packaged: 2018-10-27 00:42:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10798152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgtbuckaroobarnes/pseuds/sgtbuckaroobarnes
Summary: Sam and Bucky (and everyone) are shape-shifters. Bucky is a tiger, Sam is bird. They shouldn't like each other. They shouldn't be friends. They shouldn't fall in love.But they do, and they are, and they really, unequivocally, do.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This first "chapter" is just going to be the post with my original idea about this that i had. Because i had a random idea at work and thought that was going to be the end of it but it spiraled out of control and i ended up writing way more of it than i meant to. So this first chapter is just going to be in tumblr post format and me basically just fleshing out the idea, and then the following chapters will be actual, real, for real, writing. Just bare with this first bit! <3

so basically what happened was, i was at work, and my brain yelled “bird sam and cat bucky!” with absolutely no context whatsoever. so i was sat there, confused as hell, and then i had the image of like, bucky with cat ears, and sam with wings, like they have human forms or some shit.

and they’re just sitting there and then all of a sudden bucky like….licked Sam’s neck and sam freaked out and turned to look at him, and it happened so fast Bucky’s tongue is hanging out of his mouth and his eyes are all big and even though he was licking sam he looks really innocent. and maybe steve is there and he’s a cat too and he’s like “bucky what the hell!?!” 

and bucky gets all blushy and looks into his lap and shrugs and is all, “i dont know. he’s a pretty bird. i like him.” 

and he like, mumbled it and his little cat ears twitch cutely and Sam gets all blushy then but like looks at him all stern and is like “dont lick me. you’re a cat, i’m a bird. You licking me is terrifying.” 

and bucky just like mocks him a little, mouthing what he’d said back to him, but is like “fine. but yer still pretty.” 

and then he like turns back into his cat form and bounces away and Steve is like apologizing A LOT and sam just brushes it off but inside he’s like “THE PRETTY CAT LIKES ME!!!” and so yeah…..that’s what happened in my head today at work. so….there’s that for you all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam goes looking for Bucky in his part of the woods and gets attacked, luckily Bucky shows up to help.

Sam was an idiot. He shouldn’t have been in this part of the woods. But he’d wanted to see Bucky again. And he already had his excuse ready for if he found Steve first. He’d just say he was looking for Steve instead and then everything would be fine. He’d been flying low, looking for any sign of Bucky. He’d been focused and distracted and he’d heard the low growl behind him too late. He’d shifted quickly, he was bigger when he was in human form, but that didn’t seem to deter the animal at all. The big cat pounced right after he shifted and Sam screamed as it’s claws tore through his wing, sending feathers into the air as he fell to the ground with a thud.

He tried to fly again and groaned as pain shot through his wing and down his back. He turned to face the cat stalking toward him, his lips pulled back as it hissed at him. Sam slowly backed away until his back hit a large tree, his heel hit one of its roots and he tumbled backwards. His wing slamming into the trunk as he fell. He rolled his eyes in pain and thought again that he was an idiot. He never should have come here. And now he was sitting in a tangle on the ground, blood and feathers everywhere. He reached out and grabbed a large stick, he held it in front him, ready to defend himself when the cat pounced. And then a loud shriek rang through the air and Bucky was there.

He landed gracefully, his paws making no sound as he landed, and then he hissed at the other cat. Sam stared at the stripes on Bucky’s back as he stalked toward the cat that had hurt him. Bucky hissed again and moved his paw quickly, he jabbed it at the other cat, his claws raking across its face as he growled. The cat hissed and took a few steps back, shaking its head as blood dripped from its face. Its eyes moved to Sam and Bucky made that high-pitched screech again, the kind of sound Sam had only even been told about, horror stories about cat fights running through his head as Bucky made the noise again. The cat looked at him for a moment and then turned and ran off.

Bucky stared after it for a long time, and then turned around and looked at Sam. His pupils going wide as he looked at him, his head tilting to the side a little. He walked toward Sam, shifting as he walked, going up onto two legs, his hair falling into his face as he knelt down by Sam’s side.

“Hey pretty bird. What are you doing in my part of the woods?” he asked calmly, his hand moving to Sam’s cheek and wiping a drop of blood away, he winked when Sam blushed.

“Getting attacked I guess. Being stupid.” Sam said, shaking his head and then grimacing as he moved the wrong way and jostled his wings. Bucky grimaced too, his ears going flat on his head, like Sam’s pain was hurting him too. Bucky moved quickly and then had his arms up under Sam’s legs and behind his back, under his wings.

“This might hurt, just hang on okay?” Bucky said, Sam nodded. Bucky picked him up easily, like Sam weighed nothing, and started walking through the trees. He walked slowly, carefully, making sure to guild Sam’s wings around all obstacles so he wouldn’t cause him any more pain. There was a noise behind them and Sam flinched. He whined in his throat and pressed his face into Bucky’s shoulder as pain shot through him.

“It’s okay. I got you.” Bucky whispered into Sam’s hair.

“What was that?” Sam asked, looking over Bucky’s shoulder into the trees. They seemed to be thinning out.

“It was just Bruce. He lives around here. He’s not very sociable so don’t worry, he won’t bother us.” Bucky said, his fingers squeezing Sam’s leg gently. Sam was pretty sure he was reassuring him, and it actually worked pretty well. He nodded against his shoulder and then his eyes fluttered shut.

“Sam. Hey, Sam.” Bucky whispered, Sam opened his eyes and say that they were in some kind of cave.

“Where are we?” He asked, looking around.

“Somewhere I come for privacy. Only Steve knows about this place, so you’ll be safe here.” Bucky said, giving Sam a little smile, his fangs peeking out between his lips, Sam laughed at him.

“I’m gonna sit you down now, is that okay?” Bucky asked. Sam nodded and braced himself. Bucky set him down gently on something soft, whispering a string of “sorry’s” as he did. Sam grimaced a little and then settled down into the softness of Bucky’s nest, for lack of a better word. Bucky knelt down and hovered over him.

“I…I don’t know how to help. I could… groom you… would that help? That’s what I do when I get hurt? Does that work for birds too?” Bucky asked, sounding nervous, his hands held out like he wanted to reach for Sam but wasn’t sure he could. Sam smiled up at him sleepily.

“That would work yes. I just… I’m gonna sleep I think. If that’s okay with you?” Sam asked, dropping down lower, laying down so that his wings were covering him and keeping him warm, and so that Bucky could get to them.

“Yeah of course. Get some rest. I got this… I think.” Bucky said with a paused. Sam chuckled and watched him shift back into his full white tiger form.

“You’re oozing confidence. I appreciate that.” Sam said, sounding sleepy, even to his own ears. He heard Bucky chuff, clearly laughing as Sam’s sarcasm, and then Sam felt his rough tongue pulling on his wings. There was a dull pain at first, shooting through his wing with each lick, but it faded quickly. The rhythm quickly becoming soothing as Bucky tended to his wounds. Sam sighed as his eyes closed again, drifting so sleep and feeling safe with Bucky watching over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> seriously guys i don't where this came from. but i love cats, and sam with wings, so maybe that's where it came from? i dont know, i just hope you guys like it! at least a little! <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve finds Sam with Bucky and takes him back home. Sam misses Bucky and wants to see him again but is scared to go back into the wrong part of the woods. Clint tries to comfort him and then Bucky shows up after months, with a proposition and a smile.

“Bucky what did you do!?!”

Sam’s eyes open slowly as he feels himself being lifted into the air. Steve is holding him up gently, scowling at Bucky. Sam’s head is fogged with pain and he can’t seem to open his mouth to tell Steve that Bucky had saved him, not harmed him. Bucky didn’t say a word. He just stood there, looking sad and dejected as he watched Steve carry Sam away. Sam lifted his hand a small amount, doing his best to say goodbye. Bucky’s brow furrowed as he raised his own hand. Sam’s vision went blurry after that but he was sure he’d seen Bucky wipe at his face. Sam fell back into darkness after that, and didn’t wake up again until Steve had returned him home.

~***~

It had been months. Sam had resisted every urge he’d had to go back to Bucky, to see him again. Not because he didn’t want to see him, but because he was terrified of being attacked. He’d learned his lesson. But he missed him too, and he’d been spending his days in the tree tops, looking out over the part of the woods he knew Bucky favored. He sat in the tree tops, sometimes in bird form, sometimes in human form, all the time missing him and wondering why he’d just let Steve take him away.

“Thinkin about your cat again huh?” Clint’s voice said through the sound of ruffling wings as he flew up and perched next to Sam. Sam looked at him, moving only his eyes, and then looked out over the trees again.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and shaking his wings.

“Mhm, suuure you don’t.” Clint said, his voice dry.

“Listen buddy. I know it’s not…common. But just cuz it’s not common doesn’t mean it’s not…right for you. Ya know?” Clint said, his voice gentle. Sam just kept his eyes on the horizon.

“I mean look at me and Nat, not many people would think a hawk and snake would fit well together, but we do.” Clint said, sounding proud. Sam turned slowly to look at him.

“The first time you met Nat she tried to eat you. And I don’t mean pretended to eat you, I mean she had her jaw unlocked, about to swallow your head, eat you.” Sam said slowly, looking at Clint with wide eyes. Clint’s face softened and he looked out over the trees, Sam would swear he looked nostalgic.

“Yeah,” Clint sighed happily.

“That was a good day.”

Sam shook his head and looked away again. Unsure why Clint was so weird. But he was also right. Once he and Nat had gotten past the whole, I was going to swallow you whole, thing, they’d gotten along great. And now they practically lived together. Sam didn’t want to get his hopes up, especially since he hadn’t seen Bucky in months, but there was something there, between them. He just needed to figure out what it was. He sat there with Clint for a long time, watching the sun fall below the trees as Clint talked about what seemed like several things at once.

Once the sun was gone and the trees were dark, Sam shifted back to his falcon form and flew back to his nest. He shoved his face in his wing and dozed off. His dreams were full of claws, and blood, and savior covered in stripes.

He woke up to the trees full of whispers and chirps. He shook himself and hopped onto his favorite branch, stretching his wings and chirping along with the others for a moment before being bombarded with a face full of grey wings. Clint thumped into him and then skidded to a stop as he shifted and gabbed the branch with his hands, catching himself before he fell. Sam shifted calmly and looked at him, his eyebrows raised.

“Jesus man, what the hell is wrong with you? It’s too early to be this excited.” Sam said, rubbing at his eyes. Clint shook his head.

“No no no! It’s the perfect time to be this excited! Can you not hear what they’re talking about?” Clint asked, throwing his hands out, motioning to the trees and almost falling again. Sam scowled and then focused on all the noise around him. A lot of it was just whispers. But they were all saying the same things, there was cat. In their part of the woods. Sam felt his heart jump and his hands started sweating as he looked back to Clint.

“It’s not…” he trailed off, not wanting to say it, to make it real. Clint widened his eyes and then inclined his head, his eyes on the ground behind Sam. He then gave Sam a quick thumbs up and then shifted again before flying off. He flew into a branch and tumbled through the air for a moment before getting his wings the right way around again and soaring off. Sam rolled his eyes and then looked down. His heart almost stopping in his chest when he saw Bucky walking slowly through the trees.

He was in his human form, his cat ears twitching on his head at all the chirping filling the air, his tail swishing behind him. He had a shawl draped around his shoulders, covering himself, it fell past his knees and was brightly covered. Sam wondered briefly where he’d gotten something so pretty and then Bucky was looking at him. The look of concentration on his face smoothing out into the happiest look Sam had ever seen on him. He raised his hand in greeting and shot Sam a crooked smile. Sam smiled back and then spread his wings and dropped to the ground gracefully. Bucky smiled again when he landed in front of him, nodding behind him after a moment.

“Friend of yours?” he asked.

“You mean the idiot who flew into the tree?” Sam asked, tilting his head and smiling.

“Yeah.” Bucky said with a chuckle.

“Then yeah.” Sam said, smiling a little again. His head was feeling fuzzy being this close to Bucky after so long. Bucky nodded and then looked at him.

“How are you feeling? All healed up?” Bucky asked after a long moment. Sam swallowed hard and nodded again. He turned around and spread his wings for Bucky to see.

“All healed. I’ve never healed faster actually. So, I guess I owe you one.” Sam said, shivering a little when Bucky moved his hand gently over the small dips in Sam’s wing where the big cats’ claws had dug into him. The feathers were mostly back now, though they were a little discolored. Bucky dropped his hand back down and Sam tucked his wings against his back and turned around again.

“You don’t owe me anything Sam.” Bucky said quietly, looking at the ground. Sam could see his cheeks going pink and wondered if he’d looked down to hide it. He took a step closer and then stopped when Bucky looked back up at him quickly.

“Is there somewhere we can go to talk? Somewhere…” he trailed off and moved his eyes over the trees above them, the chirping going silent when he looked up.

“More private?” he finished, dropping his eyes back to Sam. Sam nodded immediately.

“Yeah. Yeah of course, um…this way.” He said, pausing while he thought of a place to go. Bucky nodded and followed him through the trees. Sam tripped once, his legs not so great at walking over roots, he was used to flying over them after all. Bucky caught him easily, one hand on Sam’s arm and one low on his back. He straightened Sam up and then stepped back and coughed awkwardly, waiting for Sam to keep going.

Sam lead them to his favorite cliffside. The trees were thin here, and hardly anyone ever came this far out. Only Sam usually, he liked to look down at the water, watch the waves slam into the rocks.

“It’s beautiful.” Bucky breathed, stepping up to stand next to Sam. Sam smiled and closed his eyes, turning his face up to the sun, letting the warmth fall over his skin like rain in the summer.

“Yeah. It is.” Sam sighed, looking over at Bucky and seeing him staring out over the water. Sam sat down and Bucky followed, sitting cross legged with his hands in his lap, his fingers worrying the end of his shawl between them.

“I’m guessing you have some questions.” Bucky said finally. Sam nodded once.

“Just one really.” Sam said. Bucky nodded at him to go ahead.

“Why’d you just let him take me? You didn’t even defend yourself. He made it sound like he thought you attacked me. And were gonna eat me or something.” Sam said, biting his lip as he watched Bucky continue to stare into his lap. He sighed and then look up.

“I…I’ve done some really…bad things. In my past, Sam. And, Steve knows about them. And so, I guess he just thought that I was falling back into those ways.” Bucky said, sounding like he hated himself as he spoke.

“And I guess it was easier to let him take you than to argue about it right then.” He said, looking up at Sam with wide eyes. He looked scared. Sam’s heart jumped into his throat. He’d never seen a cat look scared like that before, especially not while looking at Sam. Sam thought about what he said for a long time and then reached out and touched his hand to the back of Bucky’s.

“We’ve all done bad things Bucky. But that’s in your past, right? You don’t do that anymore?” Sam asked, giving Bucky’s hand a squeeze. Bucky’s eyes went wide again as he turned his hand over in Sam’s and held onto him tightly.

“No. I haven’t done it in a long time. And I hate myself for ever doing it at all. I just, I was raised to believe one thing and then I grew and learned that it wasn’t right. And I just, I don’t want you to find out about it later and hate me for it.” Bucky said, a tear falling down his cheek as he looked at Sam. Sam wiped it away and smiled sadly at him.

“I don’t think I could ever hate you.” He said. Bucky chuckled, it sounded a little like a sob and Sam was worried until he saw the smile.

“I’m really glad to hear that.” He whispered as he sniffed and wiped the back of his hand against his nose. They sat silently for a few moments and then Sam got curious.

“It took you a long time to come here. I almost came to find you again, but I was afraid. And I didn’t want to make another stupid mistake.” Sam said, looking into his own lap now.

“I know it did. And you’re not stupid Sam. You’re not.” Bucky reassured, rubbing the pads of his fingers against the underside of Sam’s wrist and making him shiver. Sam looked up at him and almost forgot how to breathe, the look Bucky was giving him was so soft, so open, he could feel it under his skin.

“Where were you?” Sam asked, trying not to let the pain in his chest seep into his voice. It apparently didn’t work, if the look Bucky gave him was anything to go by.

“I needed to figure some things out. And I uh…I found this place.” Bucky said, tilting his head at Sam.

“What place?” Sam asked.

“A uh… a place that Bruce told me about, actually. Where people live. People like us. But they uh, they mostly say in human form. And they all… live together. Like, people like _me_ , and people like _you_ , live together. If they want.” Bucky said slowly, his eyes locked on Sam. Sam felt heat spreading through his body at Bucky’s words, at what they meant.

“I mean ya know, I’m not sayin that we have to…right away. Or not at all, if- if you don’t want. Which is fine. It’s totally fine if you don’t. I just thought that maybe…if it’s something you’d like to try. Or want…or…whatever. That… god I don’t know. There’s a place like that, out there, as an option.” Bucky stammered, his face going red along with his neck as he tried not to say what Sam really wanted him to say.

“Are you saying you want us to go live there? So we can be together?” Sam asked, because he knew that’s what Bucky was tip toing around, he knew it in his soul. Bucky’s mouth dropped open.

“I mean, not _together_. I mean we could have separate places. Ya know, I mean we don’t have to just go…live together, just like that. I just thought that, in a place like that, that maybe we could… maybe _this_ ,” Bucky gestured between them, his ears twitching and then flattening against his head as he got more frustrated.

“Might work. Me and- me and you. And _there_ … in a place like that, you’d be…safe.” Bucky said, sighing on the last word as he gave Sam a sad look. Sam laughed, a quiet breath of air bursting out of him as he looked at Bucky.

“What if I do want that? Us to live together?” Sam asked, laughing again when Bucky snapped his eyes to Sam’s and they widened comically.

“What? Really?” he asked quickly.

“Yeah. Really. What then?” Sam asked. Bucky took a deep breath.

“Well then, we’d go look at some of the places I found I guess. Some of them are nice. I tried to find places with some height for you, cuz you’re always up in the trees and I didn’t want you to feel home sick on the ground or something.” Bucky said in a rush, smiling, his fangs poking out again.

“You already went and looked at places?” Sam asked, his heart going a million miles an hour.

“Oh. Yeah. I uh…yeah. Sorry I went without you. I just wanted to see if I’d even like it at all. And when I did, I just sort of... fell into looking I guess.” Bucky said, shrugging, that pink in his cheeks going darker.

“They’re up high you said?” Sam asked, leaning forward a little, his body full of energy, he wanted to stand up and jump around, maybe run laps in the woods even though he knew he’d just fall all over himself. Bucky smiled at him and leaned forward too, like he couldn’t help it.

“Yeah. One of them’s real high.” Bucky said.

“Are you okay with it being high?” Asked, leaning back a little then, he didn’t like the thought of Bucky being uncomfortable just for his sake.

“I’ve never really had a problem with heights. I like them a lot actually. People don’t bother you as much when you’re too high for them to get to.” He said and then shrugged. Sam laughed again and then they stared at each other for a long time.

“Are we really doing this?” Sam asked, a small bubble of hysteria lodged in his throat.

“If you want to. I mean, I know _I_ want to, but if _you_ want it too, then, yeah.” Bucky said, his smile growing. Sam smiled and then laughed. And then kept laughing, he couldn’t seem to stop, his wings stretched out behind him and shivered before tucking back against him.

“I want to.” Sam said, biting his lip when Bucky laughed and smiled brightly.

“Then yeah, let’s do it.” Bucky said, hopping to his feet and pulling Sam up with him. Sam laughed and tripped forward, Bucky caught him easily and wrapped his arms around Sam’s waist, pulling him close, tucking his face into Sam’s shoulder and breathing in deeply. Sam wrapped his arms around Bucky’s neck and shoulders and held him tight.

“I missed you.” Bucky said into Sam’s skin. Sam bit his lip and smiled harder.

“I missed you too.” He said, pulling back and looking at Bucky, fighting off another shiver as Bucky’s thumbs pressed into his hips.

“I really wanna kiss you.” Bucky breathed, his eyes falling to Sam’s lips and then moving back up again.

“Then I think you really should.” Sam said, licking his lips just to see Bucky track the movement.

“Okay. Then I really will.” Bucky said, pressing closer, whispering his words against Sam’s lips before pressing forward and kissing the breath out of Sam’s lungs, making his knees shake. Sam broke the kiss when he smiled, Bucky smiled too and then they were laughing again. Bucky holding Sam up, as he leaned back and laughed in the sun, his wings unfolding behind him. Bucky pulled him upright and pulled him close with a laugh, looking at him with bright eyes. Sam smiled and felt a familiar warm feeling inside his chest.

He may have been on his favorite cliff top, his feet firmly on the ground, but with Bucky in his arms, looking at him like he’d hung the sun, he felt like he was flying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the end yay, i did it, i finished it. i hope this is the end. But who knows man, i had no control over any of this. and i'm slightly offended by how much it got away from me. i love you guys, if you're hear reading this, thank you! have a wonderful day! <3


End file.
